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Editorial: Banish Holiday Gloom With Stories Of Honest Giving

Melancholy is always a part of Christmas, but perhaps its minor tones are a little more pronounced this year. From the loss of the bright light of Austin Elder and the sorrows of Newtown, Conn., to uncertainty about the future of the 188th Fighter Wing and other personal losses, the season may seem a bit dimmer than in years past.

The new year ahead may seem more challenging than promising. Economic recovery continues its slow pace. Current budget negotiations inspire little confidence that next year will see a recovery from partisan gridlock despite the important issues our nation faces.

We know many painful conversations lie ahead. What can be done to stop or even slow apparently random shootings? Are there guns that civilians shouldn’t own? Should we begin to devote the same resources to mental illness we devote to other illness? How can we distinguish the small, small percentage of those with mental illnesses who might be dangerous from the overwhelming number of people who need to be treated and loved, not to be ignored or stigmatized?

And underlying it all, when will we face the consequences of a civilization drunk with violence, bathed in physical violence in every part of the world and in “virtual” violence in television, movies, sports and gaming?

But these are conversations for another day.

Today, as we begin the final countdown to Christmas Day, we should think of what is bright, peaceful and good in our lives.

And so, some highlights from the last week:

• Thanks to the efforts of Tilles Elementary School’s four Partners in Education, students and teachers were surprised Wednesday with $10 gift cards and a trip to Toys R Us. The logistics alone are staggering; then there’s all that secret fundraising to bring a little joy to children. Toys R Us set up a special section of the store where the students could go shopping and discounted many items to make those precious dollars go a little further.

• Students at Fairview Elementary were on the giving side of a surprise last week when they assembled more than 800 cheer bags for patients who will spend Christmas Day in the hospital. The youngsters sacrificed recess to plan the magic, raised funds to buy supplies, and assembled bags of Christmas notions and innocent hope for better times ahead.

• Students at Mansfield Middle School raised more than $500 for a local family who lost their home in a fire. Ashley Furniture pledged a new mattress set for the family. The students also raised $368 for the Salvation Army Angel Tree program. So Principal Cindy Coleman dyed her hair neon pink before shaving the head of eighth-grade math teacher Trey Prieur and serving him a cream pie to the face. That’s called teaching by the way you live your life.

• Students from Orr Elementary School delivered gifts and sang carols to residents at Covington Court.

• Some time between dusk Thursday, when the wind finally died down, and dawn Friday, volunteers worked in darkness and eventually subfreezing temperatures to restore wreaths to the graves at the National Cemetery at Fort Smith. Although the sun set on chaos wrought by a storm that crashed through town Wednesday evening, it rose on the ordered lines that speak of the patriotism and volunteerism that mark our community.

Further abroad, the world reacted with an outpouring of compassion and support to the people of Newtown, and the news media began to withdraw (NBC news stopped live broadcasts on Wednesday) to allow the city to find its new normal.

Closer to home, the Arkansas delegation promised not to give up the fight to save the live-flying mission of the 188th Fighter Wing despite setbacks when the defense authorization bill emerged from the conference committee.

If that’s not enough to brighten your spirits and send you toward Christmas in the right spirit, we have one more suggestion: Check out the video and photo on our website of “kinder carolers” from Cavanaugh Elementary School enchanting customers and staff at Simmons Bank. It’s at swtimes.com/sections/news-photos/cavanaugh-carolers.html. We think even the Grinch will be in a better frame of mind after that.